This invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method as well as a providing medium, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus and method as well as a providing medium wherein an image is captured from a video camera and displayed with an effect applied thereto.
A portable personal computer in which a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) video camera is incorporated can pick up an image of an imaging object using the CCD video camera and display the produced image data on a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit so that the image data may be enjoyed by a user of the portable personal computer.
The conventional portable personal computer described above, however, picks up an image of an imaging object using the CCD camera and displays the thus produced image data as it is without processing the same. Therefore, the conventional portable personal computer has a subject to be solved in that it lacks in entertainment property of amusing the user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus which is high in entertainment property.
In order to attain the object described above, according to the present invention, as one of effects to be applied to image data produced by picking up an image of an imaging object, those of the image data which are in predetermined areas are replaced with each other to compose the image data, and the image data including the replaced image data are displayed.
More particularly, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus which composes an image, comprising image pick-up means for picking up an object image including two or more replacement areas disposed at position symmetrical with respect to an imaginary reference line, conversion means for converting the replacement areas into circles, calculation means for calculating a composition ratio, which varies non-linearly along an imaginary line perpendicular to a tangential line to the circles, for each position, composition ratio storage means for storing the composition ratios of individual pixels in the replacement areas corresponding to the individual positions, storage means for temporarily storing image data produced by the image pick-up means as original image data, production means for producing data of reversed images symmetrical with respect to the imaginary reference line based on the original image data stored in the storage means, composition means for composing the replacement areas on the original image and the replacement areas on the reversed image for the individual pixels based on the composition ratios, and display means for displaying the composite image data obtained by the composition means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for an information processing apparatus which composes an image, comprising an image pick-up step of picking up an object image including two or more replacement areas disposed at positions symmetrical with respect to an imaginary reference line, a conversion step of converting the replacement areas into circles, a calculation step of calculating a composition ratio, which varies non-linearly along an imaginary line perpendicular to a tangential line to the circles, for each position, a composition ratio storage step of storing the composition ratios of individual pixels in the replacement areas corresponding to the individual positions, a storage step of temporarily storing image data produced by the image pick-up step as original Image data, a production step of producing data of reversed images symmetrical with respect to the imaginary reference line based on the original image data stored by the storage step, a composition step of composing the replacement areas on the original image and the replacement areas on the reversed image for the individual pixels based on the composition ratios, and a display step of displaying the composite image data obtained by the composition step.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a providing medium for providing a computer-readable program for causing an information Processing method, which composes an image, to execute processing comprising an image pick-up step of picking up an object image including two or more replacement areas disposed at positions symmetrical with respect to an imaginary reference line, a conversion step of converting the replacement areas into circles, a calculation step of calculating a composition ratio, which varies non-linearly along an imaginary line perpendicular to a tangential line to the circles, for each position, a composition ratio storage step of storing the composition ratios of individual pixels in the replacement areas corresponding to the individual positions, a storage step of temporarily storing image data produced by the image pick-up step as original image data, a production step of producing data of reversed images symmetrical with respect to the imaginary reference line based on the original image data stored by the storage step, a composition step of composing the replacement areas on the original image and the replacement areas on the reversed image for the individual pixels based on the composition ratios, and a display step of displaying the composite image data obtained by the composition step.
With the information processing apparatus, the information processing method and the providing medium, original image data and reversed image data are replace, with each other in replacement areas to compose a new image, and the composed image can please the user with a higher degree of entertainment property.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the Present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like part or elements denoted by like reference symbols.